the classic recipe
Mushroom risotto (risotto ai funghi)
Mushroom risotto is a classic Italian creamy dish that has found its place at Brazilian tables. Arborio rice cooked al dente — never mushy — suspended in a light chestnut-colored broth fragrant with porcini, with soft mushroom pieces distributed throughout. Served in a wide bowl, spread flat and flowing, finished with butter and Parmesan. A faint bite from the grain, the creaminess from released starch. This is slow food that calls for company — a glass of white wine, one per person.
yields 4 servings·573 kcal per serving·cuisine Italian
The traditional recipe
Instructions
Rehydrate 30g of dried porcini mushrooms in 500ml of hot water for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid; roughly chop the mushrooms. Top the strained liquid up with vegetable stock to reach 1 liter total and keep warm over low heat.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the finely diced onion (120g) with a pinch of salt for 3 to 4 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the rehydrated chopped mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, incorporating their flavor into the soffritto base.
Add the arborio rice (320g) and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the grains are lightly translucent and coated in oil — this is the toasting step, which seals the surface starch.
Pour in the dry white wine (120ml) all at once and stir constantly until fully absorbed by the rice.
Begin adding the warm stock one ladle at a time (about 80 to 100ml each). Stir frequently and wait for each addition to be nearly fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 16 to 18 minutes.
Taste the rice at this point: grains should have a slight resistance when bitten (al dente). The risotto should be moist and flow gently — all'onda consistency.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add 30g of cold butter cut into pieces and 50g of grated Parmesan. Stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until a silky emulsion forms — this is the mantecatura.
Adjust salt and finish with freshly ground black pepper and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately in warmed wide bowls.